Video game and method having enhanced audio effects

ABSTRACT

A computer-readable medium, a method of conducting a video game and a gaming system. In one embodiment, the medium contains programming instructions that cause a computer processor to: (1) conduct a video game that generates events having corresponding exclusively audible prompts and (2) convey the exclusively audible prompts to specific audio channels for sound-capable gaming controllers of a gaming system.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application is directed, in general, to computer games and, morespecifically, to a video game having enhanced audio effects and methodof conducting a video game having enhanced audio effects.

BACKGROUND

According to “Demographic Information About Videogaming,”http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/pdf/gamingdemographics.pdf, video gaming appealsto a much wider audience than just teens and has applications that gofar beyond entertainment. Scanlon (“Getting Serious About Gaming,”Business Week Online, Aug. 14, 2007) addressed the issue of video gaminggrowth. Scanlon says video gaming is a growth industry and that 2007predictions called for the video gaming market to continue to expand ata rate of 9.1% at least until 2012. There is a shift in thinking aboutgames as a product to understanding them as a service. Video games arethe third fastest-growing segment of the entertainment and media market,following television distribution at 9.3% and Internet advertising at13.4%. It is anticipated that new growth will come from the casual andnontraditional game market. Online video games are the fastest-growingsegment in the U.S., and yet they can be unattractive to a significantportion of its population.

The typical video game involves an onslaught of sights and soundsdesigned to heighten the senses and convey information. However, manyvideo game novices find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number andfrequency of stimuli. Older players are particularly daunted by thevolume of information presented and the number of symbols and promptsthey must sense and interpret and to which they might want to respond inreal time. Thus, the sights and sounds often serve to confuse andfrustrate at least as much as they inform. Gaming experience appears tobe the only answer to this vexing issue. However, a casual player maynever be able to justify the investment of time required to conquer thehyper-informative gaming environment.

SUMMARY

One aspect provides a computer-readable medium. In one embodiment, themedium contains programming instructions that cause a computer processorto: (1) conduct a video game that generates events having correspondingexclusively audible prompts and (2) convey the exclusively audibleprompts to specific audio channels for sound-capable gaming controllersof a gaming system.

Another aspect provides a method of conducting a video game. In oneembodiment, the method includes: (1) generating events havingcorresponding exclusively audible prompts and (2) conveying theexclusively audible prompts to specific audio channels for sound-capablegaming controllers of a gaming system.

Yet another aspect provides a gaming system. In one embodiment, thesystem includes: (1) a gaming console having player-specific audiochannels and (2) at least one sound-capable gaming controller couplableto the gaming console, the gaming console configured to executeprogramming instructions that cause the gaming console to: (2a) conducta video game that generates events having corresponding exclusivelyaudible prompts and (2b) convey the exclusively audible prompts tospecific audio channels for the sound-capable gaming controllers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a video gaming systemconfigured to conduct a video game having enhanced audio effects;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically describing a video gaming environmentin which events take place during the course of conducting a video game;and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of conducting avideo game having enhanced audio effects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A few terms will now be defined for purposes of this disclosure. A videogame provides at least two sensory components: visible and audible.(Some video games provide a tactile component, but such is not importantto an understanding of this disclosure.)

The visible component is almost universally rendered on a video monitor,such as a computer monitor or a television set. The video monitor formswhat will be called a “visible play-space.” The audible component isrendered on one or more speakers. The speakers form what will be calledan “audible play-space.”

During the course of conducting a video game, “events” of many typesoccur. For example, objects (including avatars representing the players)may approach one another, accelerate, move, disappear, explode, win,lose or die. One skilled in video game design, or an avid video gamer,is well familiar with the sheer number and variety of things thatobjects in video games can do. Video games render visible prompts (i.e.,graphics representing the events) on the video monitor when they occurin the visible play-space. Video games typically also render audibleprompts (i.e., music or sound effects representing the events) via thespeakers when the events occur in the visible play-space. However, aswill be described below, the audible play-space is typically far largerthan the visible play-space. Therefore, video games are also capable ofgenerating events that occur outside of the visible play-space andrendering audible prompts for those events that have no correspondingvisible prompts. In other words, players may well have to contend withaudible prompts that they cannot clarify with their eyes.

It is realized herein that players unaccustomed to the phalanx of eventsthat transpires during the course of a video game are particularlyconfused by audible prompts that lack corresponding visible prompts,defined herein as “exclusively audible prompts.” It is further realizedthat such players, who tend to be video game novices or older than thetypical video-game target audience, would benefit from a reduction inthe number of exclusively audible prompts or a way to differentiateexclusively audible prompts that are relevant to their play from thosethat are irrelevant to their play.

It is accordingly realized that a video game can be enhanced by theaddition of a feature that allows the volume of certain exclusivelyaudible prompts to be attenuated (have a reduced relative volume), andperhaps their volume turned completely off. It is further realized thatsuch a feature can be made to be player-selectable such that each playermay enable or disable the feature. It is still further realized thatgaming systems having player-specific audio channels (e.g., in which aparticular audio channel is associated with a particular gamingcontroller) and sound-capable gaming controllers (i.e., have a speakeror a jack for an external speaker, earphone or headphones) are capableof conducting video games that have such a feature.

Accordingly, described herein are various embodiments of a video gameconfigured to provide a player-specific audio channel to a speakerassociated with a particular player and further configured selectivelyat least to attenuate exclusively audible prompts on the player-specificaudio channel. Also described herein are various embodiments of a methodof conducting a video game in which a player-specific audio channel isprovided to a particular player and exclusively audible prompts are atleast attenuated on the player-specific audio channel. Certain of thevideo game and method embodiments allow the attenuation of the volume ofthe exclusively audible prompts to be a player-selectable feature. Onemay think of this feature as a “novice's audio mode” or an “over-40audio mode” that would allow players to adjust their audio experience.As the player's ability to associate and distinguish the audible promptsimproves, audible prompts associated with other players could bere-introduced and the volume of those prompts adjusted accordingly.

Certain of the video game and method embodiments employ speakersintegral with gaming consoles to convey the audio prompts to theplayers. Other of the video game and method embodiments employ a jackintegral with gaming consoles to convey the audio prompts to an earphoneor headphones worn by the players. Those skilled in the pertinent artunderstand that headphones particularly tend to isolate a particularplayer from extraneous audible prompts.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a video gaming system 100having enhanced audio effects. The video gaming system 100 includes agaming console 110 and at least one gaming controller. The gamingconsole 110 includes a computer processor (not shown).

In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming console 110 is part of adedicated video gaming system, such as commercially available from theSony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, Nintendo Company, Ltd. of Kyoto, Japanor Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., USA. The embodiment of FIG.1, however, includes two gaming controllers 120-1, 120-2. Links 130-1,130-couple the gaming controllers 120-1, 120-2 to the gaming console110. In the illustrated embodiment, the links 130-1, 130-2 are wired. Inan alternative embodiment, the links 130-1, 130-2 are wireless.

In an alternative embodiment, the gaming console 110 is embodied in ageneral purpose computer, such as a desktop personal computer (PC),laptop PC, tablet PC, personal digital assistant (PDA) or smartphone.

In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming console 110 is also coupled toa video monitor 130 configured to provide visible prompts. The gamingconsole 110 is further coupled either directly, or through the videomonitor 130, to at least one speaker. The embodiment of FIG. 1 shows twospeakers 140-1, 140-2, ostensibly to support left and right audiochannels that are not associated with particular gaming controllers(including the gaming controllers 120-1, 120-2). Other embodimentssupport fewer or greater numbers of audio channels.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the gaming controllers 120-1,120-2 has one or both of an integral speaker or jack 121-1, 121-2. FIG.2 shows a pair of headphones 122-1, 122-2 coupled and corresponding toeach of the gaming controllers 120-1, 120-2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the gaming console 110 is configured toprovide a data processing and storage environment for video gamesoftware or firmware. A block 150 represents a storage medium configuredto store the video game software or firmware. In various embodiments,the storage medium includes one or more read-only memory (ROM) orprogrammable ROM (“flash”) “chips,” often located in a protectivecartridge, or on one or more magnetic, optical or magneto-optical discs.In a related embodiment, some or all of the video game software may bestored on a storage medium coupled to and received from or hosted on theInternet 160. Alternatively, the video game may employ the Internet 160to enable communication among multiple gaming consoles (not shown),forming a gaming network within which one or more video games may beplayed, typically among geographically distributed players.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically describing a video gaming environmentin which events take place during the course of a video game. FIG. 2 ispresented primarily for the purpose of conveying the concept of visibleand audible play-spaces and events that occur in those play-spacesduring the conducting of a video game. FIG. 2 shows two players playinga video game: Player 1 210-1 and Player 2 201-2. Players 1 and 2 210-1,210-1 happen to be sitting approximately side-by-side and roughlyequidistant from a visible play-space 220. While this is a typicalplayer arrangement, it is by no means limiting.

As stated above, video games typically employ a video monitor to rendervisible prompts (i.e., graphics representing video game events) whenvideo game events occur in the visible play-space 220. Accordingly, thevisible play-space of FIG. 2 is intended to correspond with the videomonitor 130 of FIG. 1.

As also stated above, video games render audible prompts (i.e., music orsound effects representing events) via the speakers. FIG. 2 representsthis audible play-space 230 as surrounding Players 1 and 2 210-1, 210-2and including the visible play-space 220. As FIG. 2 shows, the audibleplay-space 230 is typically far larger than the visible play-space 220and, unlike the visible play-space 230, can surround Players 1 and 2210-1, 210-2. Therefore, video games are afforded the opportunity togenerate many events that may be reflected only in audible prompts, andnot in visible prompts.

Accordingly, FIG. 2 shows a plurality of events 240-1, 240-2, 240-3,240-4, 240-5, 240-6, 240-7, 240-8, 240-9 that may be generated duringthe course of conducting a video game. Some of the events, namely theevents 240-1, 240-2, take place in both the visible play-space 220 andthe audible play-space 230. The video game accordingly causescorresponding visible and audible prompts to be rendered respectively inthe visible play-space 220 and the audible play-space 230. However, manyof the events, namely the events 240-3, 240-4, 240-5, 240-6, 240-7,240-8, 240-9, take place exclusively in the audible play-space 230.Being therefore outside of the visible play-space 220, the video gamecauses only audible prompts to be rendered in the audible play-space230. Following are but two examples involving the rendering ofexclusively audible prompts that occur in the context of currentlycommercially available video games.

The first example involves Mario Kart®, commercially available fromNintendo Company, Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, and designed for the 3DS gamingsystem, also commercially available from Nintendo. Mario Kart® is amultiplayer racing video game. When racing, a total of 12 carsparticipate. The video game itself controls ten of the cars. Theremaining two cars are player-controlled, and the video monitor is splitinto two sections, one for each of the two cars and players. Each playerhas a third-person view of his own race car (e.g., the view is from theback of the player's car). Different levels of skill can be assigned tothe video-game-controlled cars. During the race, items appear on thetrack that the player can run over (e.g., boxes that provide the driverwith some temporary attribute or object, such as a speed increase or ared turtle shell).

Taking the shell as an example, the player can project the shell forwardor backward, whereupon it homes in on the nearest car and temporarilydisables any car it hits. When the shell is moving, an audible promptconstituting the sound of its approaching is conventionally broadcast toboth players via speakers that are not associated with the players(e.g., the speakers 140-1, 140-2 of FIG. 1). In conventional versions ofMario Kart®, all players hear the sound of shells approaching any car atthe same volume. With a feature as described herein, modified versionsof Mario Kart® could allow a player to opt to hear only the sound of ashell approaching his car. Alternatively, modified versions of MarioKart® could allow a player to opt to have sounds of shells approachingother cars selectively attenuated.

The second example involves Gears of War®, commercially available fromMicrosoft Game Studios of Redmond, Wash., USA, and designed for theX-Box 360® gaming system, commercially available from MicrosoftCorporation of Redmond, Wash., USA. Gears of War® is a first-person,shooting game. Enemy “grubs” burrow underground and pop up to thesurface around the players. In conventional versions of Gears of War®,all players hear the sound of grubs approaching any player at the samevolume. With a feature as described herein, modified versions of Gearsof War® could allow a player could opt to hear only the sound of grubsapproaching him. Alternatively, modified versions of Gears of War® couldallow a player to opt to have sounds of grubs approaching other playersselectively attenuated.

Returning to FIG. 2, arrowheaded broken lines leading from the events240-4, 240-8 illustrate one embodiment of selective attenuation. Forpurposes of this illustration, it will be assumed that both Players 1and 2 210-1, 210-2 opt to have sounds selectively attenuated. Player 1210-1 is closer to the event 240-4. Therefore the audible promptscorresponding to the event 204-4 will be attenuated less for Player 1210-1 than for Player 2 210-2. In a more specific embodiment, theattenuation is a function of the reciprocal of the square of a virtualdistance separating Player 1 210-1 from the event 240-4 in the audibleplay-space 230, thus imitating the natural attenuation of sound in thereal world.

The same selective attenuation works with respect to the event 240-8,except that the difference in volume level that each of Players 1 and 2210-1, 210-2 experiences may be greater if the attenuation is a functionof the reciprocal of the square of the virtual distances separatingPlayers 1 and 210-1, 210-2 from the event 240-8 in the audibleplay-space 230.

The arrowheaded broken lines leading from the event 240-8, together witharrowheaded broken lines leading from the event 240-6 illustrate how anembodiment in which audible prompts pertaining to other players arecompletely turned off. In such embodiment, Player 2 210-2 would not hearthe audible prompt corresponding to the event 240-6, and Player 1 210-1would not hear the audible prompt corresponding to the event 240-8.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of conducting avideo game having enhanced audio effects. The method begins in a startstep 310. In a step 320, a feature is provided allowing a volume of oneof specific audio channels to be attenuated or turned off for eventsassociated with players other than a player associated with asound-capable gaming controller associated with at least one of thespecific audio channels. In other words, for example, Player 1 canattenuate or turn off the volume of his specific audio channel forevents associated with Player 2 or any other players. In a step 330,events are generated that have corresponding exclusively audibleprompts. In a step 340, the exclusively audible prompts are conveyed tospecific audio channels for sound-capable gaming controllers of a gamingsystem in accordance with the outcome of the step 320. The method endsin a step 350.

Those skilled in the art to which this application relates willappreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutionsand modifications may be made to the described embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-readable medium containing programminginstructions that cause a computer processor to: conduct a video gamethat generates events having corresponding exclusively audible prompts;and convey said exclusively audible prompts to specific audio channelsfor sound-capable gaming controllers of a gaming system.
 2. The mediumas recited in claim 1 wherein said programming instructions furthercause said computer processor to provide a feature allowing a volume ofone of said specific audio channels to be attenuated for eventsassociated with players other than a player associated with asound-capable gaming controller associated with said at least one ofsaid specific audio channels.
 3. The medium as recited in claim 1wherein said programming instructions further cause said computerprocessor to provide a feature allowing a volume of one of said specificaudio channels to be turned off for events associated with players otherthan a player associated with a sound-capable gaming controllerassociated with said at least one of said specific audio channels. 4.The medium as recited in claim 1 wherein said programming instructionsfurther cause said computer processor to provide a feature allowing avolume of one of said specific audio channels to be attenuated or turnedoff for events associated with players other than a player associatedwith a sound-capable gaming controller associated with said at least oneof said specific audio channels.
 5. The medium as recited in claim 1wherein said computer-readable medium is selected from the groupconsisting of: a cartridge, one or more magnetic discs, one or moreoptical discs, and one or more magneto-optical discs.
 6. The medium asrecited in claim 1 wherein said sound-capable gaming controllers have aspeaker.
 7. The medium as recited in claim 1 wherein said sound-capablegaming controllers have a headphone jack.
 8. A method of conducting avideo game, comprising: generating events having correspondingexclusively audible prompts; and conveying said exclusively audibleprompts to specific audio channels for sound-capable gaming controllersof a gaming system.
 9. The method as recited in claim 8 furthercomprising providing a feature allowing a volume of one of said specificaudio channels to be attenuated for events associated with players otherthan a player associated with a sound-capable gaming controllerassociated with said at least one of said specific audio channels. 10.The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising providing a featureallowing a volume of one of said specific audio channels to be turnedoff for events associated with players other than a player associatedwith a sound-capable gaming controller associated with said at least oneof said specific audio channels.
 11. The method as recited in claim 8further comprising providing a feature allowing a volume of one of saidspecific audio channels to be attenuated or turned off for eventsassociated with players other than a player associated with asound-capable gaming controller associated with said at least one ofsaid specific audio channels.
 12. The method as recited in claim 8further comprising receiving computer instructions for said generatingand said conveying from the Internet.
 13. The method as recited in claim8 wherein said sound-capable gaming controllers have a speaker.
 14. Themethod as recited in claim 8 wherein said sound-capable gamingcontrollers have a headphone jack.
 15. A gaming system, comprising: agaming console having player-specific audio channels; at least onesound-capable gaming controller couplable to said gaming console, saidgaming console configured to execute programming instructions that causesaid gaming console to: conduct a video game that generates eventshaving corresponding exclusively audible prompts, and convey saidexclusively audible prompts to specific audio channels for saidsound-capable gaming controllers.
 16. The system as recited in claim 15wherein said programming instructions further cause said computerprocessor to provide a feature allowing a volume of one of said specificaudio channels to be attenuated for events associated with players otherthan a player associated with a sound-capable gaming controllerassociated with said at least one of said specific audio channels. 17.The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said programming instructionsfurther cause said computer processor to provide a feature allowing avolume of one of said specific audio channels to be turned off forevents associated with players other than a player associated with asound-capable gaming controller associated with said at least one ofsaid specific audio channels.
 18. The system as recited in claim 15wherein said programming instructions further cause said computerprocessor to provide a feature allowing a volume of one of said specificaudio channels to be attenuated or turned off for events associated withplayers other than a player associated with a sound-capable gamingcontroller associated with said at least one of said specific audiochannels.
 19. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein saidsound-capable gaming controllers have a speaker.
 20. The system asrecited in claim 15 wherein said sound-capable gaming controllers have aheadphone jack.